Embrace
by 1Past and Present1
Summary: Rika didn't expect to find herself lying in Renamon's comfy arms upon waking. The cuteness was shameful.


**Embrace**

_Oh, dear._

Rika has fallen asleep.

I sigh. This shouldn't bother me. After all, I clearly recall my partner inviting me to sit with her as she enjoyed some peaceful reading after a day out with the boys. Besides that, she was tired. I was simply in the wrong place and the wrong time, thus, I reasonably deduce that I have done nothing wrong.

_Indeed, I am innocent. The victim, even._

However, lying here and gazing up at the ceiling, I realise that, as she's drifted off in a somewhat compromising position, I am still very concerned.

_I do hope she won't be terrifically embarrassed when she wakes up._

I feel the redheaded teenager stir on my chest, and glancing downwards, I watch her burying her face in my mane. I wince as an arm flops over my midsection, trapping me beneath her. She lies halfway sprawled over myself and the rumpled bed, startlingly heavy for her size.

_Perhaps I should try to get her off of my person and properly into bed. Though that would require moving, and movement might wake her._

I quickly weigh the options between waiting for her to inevitably awaken on her own, or trying to disentangle myself and perhaps waking her by accident. Staring down at my partner, a new thought comes to mind.

_Though, I must admit, she is rather… cute._

Quite suddenly I feel a smile has formed, one I did not consciously shape. I banish it; she would disapprove if she knew I was taking advantage of her current state just to pleasure some part of myself, whatever part that might be. But as long as my gaze drifts about her slender, relaxed form draped over my larger one, parts submerged in my coat, I feel that same smile niggling to make a return.

_Resist, Renamon. What is wrong with me? I shouldn't indulge such things. Right, I'll just… carefully… roll her off…_

It's much easier thought than done. Lightly grasping a shoulder, I slowly begin to ease her lax form away from myself, going as far as to lift half her calm face from my chest fur before she frowns, muscles tightening as she senses herself being jostled out of an apparently desirable position, and she hugs my abdomen more firmly with a quiet, indignant little 'hrrmph' sound.

_Oh. How… not cute. Not cute at all._

I give up after a few pushes, which she resists quite adamantly, resigning myself to my fate as I gently lay her back down. I watch with fascination and partly amusement as she retakes her previous position, that smile coming back full force when I see, and feel, the human girl bury her face into my bosom. Her slow and deep breaths, now that they have returned, are a comforting and steady kind of warmth.

_Well. So much for that. Stubborn girl. I suppose you're not going anywhere, are you?_

Two legs bend to latch onto one of mine; no.

_As you wish. Rika._

She hums contentedly in turn.

I shake my head and relax back against the pillows, resuming my scrutiny of the ceiling. After a time I boldly shift my paw from her shoulder, placing it in the centre of her back. My tail folds over her legs and mine, shielding us from the faint breeze billowing through curtains.

"Sweet dreams," I whisper into the air before closing my eyes. I stroke the length of her back.

_Cute._

* * *

My dream of butterflies and rolling green meadows ends abruptly as I awaken to a sneeze caused by something warm and soft tickling my nose.

_Ugh. What was that? Too early. Want sleep. Face… irritated._

Peeling an eye open and rubbing it free from sleep, I'm greeted by a snowy expanse of hair. In the sleepy recesses of my mind, I note that the tufts are familiar. An overwhelming sensation overrides any logic. "Hmm…"

_I'm really comfy._

"Morning," a deep, silky voice coos from nearby, one that certainly jolts my memory.

I smile dopily with recognition, eyes fluttering shut. "Hi." Then common sense takes hold and I open them wide once more, lifting my head to peer curiously and with some mortification at Renamon's cushiony chest, then my hands on her hips, and my legs tangled in hers. Finally, I direct an idiotic look up at the fox monster's amused face, her blue gaze cool and collected as is typical.

_Oh, gosh. We cuddled. I… we… but… cuddled! Oh, man. Oh, gosh._

My face grows uncomfortably warm. The warmth spreads to my neck and even my shoulders; a blush, and likely a horrible one at that. "Uh…"

_This is so, so embarrassing! She's probably getting such a kick out of seeing me like… like some kid or something! Aagh! Disengage!_

"Did you sleep well?"

"I… did…"

"Good."

I am about to pull away fast and demand her to never speak of this again when she does the absolute wrong thing.

Tilting her head to dodge a beam of sunlight, she halfway buries her snout in my pillow, nuzzling it happily with a purring sound as her entire body tingles and stretched beneath mine, a warm, furry, comforting mass moving all at once in an entirely delightful fashion that is the epitome of what any girl could want in a best friend and, as it seems, cuddle buddy.

My jaw drops. Warm, gushy feelings fill me inside upon the following realisation.

_She's so… cute._

Her paw is on my back, and its presence is wholly reassuring.

_She's the darn cutest thing on four paws there ever was._

I carefully let myself recline on top of her again, testing the waters, ready to move away at a moment's notice. When she seems quite fine with me being so close to her, I smile, just a little bit, and hide my red face in her chest fluff.

_Well. I guess one more cuddle before the day begins wouldn't hurt. Besides, I need the lie-in. Mom said today she plans to take me out shopping. Whoopee._

"Do you know that you snore?" is the muffled, teasing remark from the vixen. "I couldn't help but notice so last night."

I stiffen, blindly groping until finding her tail, pulling it up higher to cover some flesh exposed by my hiked pyjamas. Then I relax again and pretend not to have heard her.

She chuckles, then goes quiet, and together we doze.

* * *

"Aw. _Precious_."

Rika and Renamon are unconscious to the world.

Smiling at the sweet image of those two sharing a cuddle so late in the morning, I flick out my phone and take a quick picture before I lightly close the door to my daughter's room, then tiptoe my way to the kitchen for a healthy breakfast.

_Interesting. What an odd couple. Well-suited, though, I will admit. And adorable, as much as they might try to deny it!_

Plucking a fresh fruit out the bowel, I turn on the tap and rinse the firm flesh beneath a soft stream of cold water before screwing the tap closed again.

_But if little Rika decides to give me crap about our shopping trip later today, well, that picture will be sent to all her friends. I guess I have leverage, now._

I share a sinister giggle with the dripping faucet, taking a bite out of my fruit.

_I like leverage._

* * *

I hope you enjoyed. Please review._  
_


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